Reviews

Karen did so much to help me with my case. She's the best! Don't know if she hears that enough. Cheers!

“It’s been almost a year now. I want to thank you for helping guide me through a very difficult time in my personal life. The words you wrote in your final letter have proven to be a touchstone. You reminded me that even though my ex-wife was being very disrespectful to me and my boys, we were still good people. I’m still working on my own life but am retired. I would not have been able to do things as well as I did were it not for your calm, objective advice. Thank you for making a huge difference. Live well.”

I’m sure you hear words of thanks often, but please know how appreciative I am of your knowledge, prowess, skills and insight. I’m in awe of your capabilities and feel blessed to have you on my side.

I liked that you established reasonable expectations and updated them when our circumstances changed.

At the beginning of my case, I had no idea what was ahead of me. For all the stress we went through, your fees were more than reasonable.

I would recommend anyone contemplating a divorce to consult with this firm in a heartbeat.

My experience with my attorney exceeded her reputation, which is stellar.

Thanks to your skill and caring, my daughter finally has a shot at a stable life. Our settlement allows her to maintain a relationship with her mother while having a secure place to call home.

To be an over-60 mother of two coping with divorce after almost 40 years of marriage has been incredibly challenging. Thank you for transforming this time into a meaningful learning and growing experience.

The settlement had everything I was fighting for—joint custody of our children and fair alimony payments.

Divorce has a way of making you feel like a failure. I was completely overwhelmed and in desperate need of someone to guide me. You helped in so many ways that will be long be valuable.

Thank you very much for making a new (and good) chapter of my life possible. I understand now why you came with such superb recommendations.

What won me over was the fact that you knew when to take off your legal hat and be a compassionate, caring friend.

How this practice operates is a reflection of each and every employee’s help, no matter what their position—a belief that was confirmed throughout my experience.

Being an attorney is your true vocation. Your mental support, as much as your legal work, helped me accept what would happen.

Divorce is not easy, and I was pregnant when I started this process. You made me feel at ease that everything would work out.

I’m hoping we are the poster children for the benefits and positive power of successful mediation. Both my husband I feel the process had immeasurable benefits to the well-being of our children.

The firm’s use of technology created transparency for all collaborative team members. It literally kept us all on the same page and moving forward.

Thanks to you, my son is back in my life.

You showed such understanding and concern for all my client’s emotional, economic and legal issues. Her future is on a much more solid path now.

You turned something my husband and I had been dreading for months into a positive move forward for us both.

You couldn’t have been more of a perfect fit with me. You were tough when you needed to be and made my divorce as smooth and stress-free as possible.

I had two law firms handling my case, and yours was light years ahead in terms of professionalism, availability and overall ability.

Many times, I wanted to cave in to my husband’s demands, but you helped keep me strong.

The work you do can really make or break the lives of people who are going through a divorce. I honestly think that if I had worked with someone else, it could have been a disaster.

I was impressed by your professionalism and the credentials, contacts, and community resources of the entire legal team.

I appreciated your frankness about my case and your wisdom in reaching an outcome, which turned out to be very favorable.

You don’t know what it means to have someone of your integrity stand up for me after all I’ve been through.

How can I ever thank you enough for getting my daughter back to me? Such a priceless gift.

You helped me get the fair treatment I deserved and didn’t let anyone take advantage of me.

Thank you for fighting hard for me today and explaining how the court will decide the amount of alimony & child support.

I can’t thank you enough for your tenacity, diligence, support and guidance. The conditions under which you worked would have tested the most patient person.

You handled more than the legal aspects of my case: you helped me think through my plans for my children and my future.

From the first phone call to the end, you answered questions and explained issues I hadn’t even thought about.

All my experiences with this law firm were superb. Everyone acted like a genuine, caring person, way beyond the typical attorney/client relationship.

You have been such an incredible influence on me as a strong, independent woman. I appreciated all you did to help me find myself and decide where I’m going with my life.

Unlike the opposing attorney, you acted fairly toward everyone (which is a good thing), while I know you worked hardest to help me.

I will never forget how you flawlessly seemed to preempt opposing counsel’s efforts to divert attention from the critical issues. People remark over and over how lucky I was to have you as my attorney.

Considering our unusual circumstances, there were no surprises. You helped us understand the legalities of our situation very well.

From the first phone call to the end, you answered questions and explained issues I hadn’t even thought about.

Hiring a divorce attorney—even walking into the office for the first time—is intimidating. As soon as I was greeted, my nerves were put at ease. Everyone I worked with was friendly, knowledgeable, and approachable.

Divorce has a way of making you feel like a failure. I was completely overwhelmed and in desperate need of someone to guide me. Liz helped in so many ways that will be long be valuable to me.

Liz's organization, attention to detail, and presence in Court were "wow"--very impressive.

Liz helped me get the fair treatment I deserved and didn't let anyone take advantage of me. My case was difficult, but I felt confident and encouraged. I always know what was being advocated on my behalf.

Elizabeth was one of the best attorneys I've ever worked with. If I need future legal advice she'll be the one I'll call.

From the first phone call to the end, Liz was friendly, caring and kind. She answered questions and explained issues I hadn’t even thought about.

The divorce process was so much easier and less stressful than I imagined. Liz was upfront about fees and I was comfortable with them.

Liz’s guidance during this difficult time reduced my stress significantly.

Liz could not have been more of a perfect fit with me. She was firm when she needed to be and made my divorce as smooth and stress-free as possible.

Unlike my previous divorce attorney, Liz was the only one who understood my situation. Her mental support, as much as her legal work, helped me accept what would happen. Her diligence, strong sense of responsibility, and kindness convinced me that being an attorney is her true vocation.

Working with Liz helped take the sting out of the divorce process.

Liz was clear, compassionate and kind. I appreciated her honesty in letting me know up front that she might not be able to help me. In the end, she did help, and I’m very grateful to her.

Divorce is not easy, and I was pregnant when I started this process. Liz made me feel at ease that everything would work out. I felt I could ask any question and receive an answer promptly and efficiently.

I felt like Liz had my best interest in mind. She made me feel very comfortable throughout the process.

Thank you Elizabeth for everything. I do not think the results could have been better.

Elizabeth and her staff treated me as a person with unique problems and found the right answers. I'm very satisfied with the outcome.

I appreciated working with an office of strong, confident women who treated me with equal respect. I felt confident knowing Lori was representing me in Court.

Lori and Becky, her paralegal, are a dynamic, hardworking and compassionate team. I definitely would refer others to them.

I always felt respected and heard, and the information I received was empowering. The firm’s use of technology created transparency for all collaborative team members. It literally kept us all on the same page and moving forward.

Lori did an excellent job of listening to what I wanted to accomplish and helped me achieve it in an efficient way. She explained everything to my satisfaction.

To be an over-60 mother of two coping with divorce after almost 40 years of marriage has been incredibly challenging. Lori's exceptional legal and people skills were so important in resolving impasses and turning a seemingly endless conflict into a fair, even-handed solution. Thank you for transforming this challenging time into a meaningful learning and growing experience.

Lori and the staff were great, and I felt I received sound legal representation. I think so highly of the firm and Lori that I've referred several other people to them.

All my experiences with this law firm were superb. Everyone acted like a genuine, caring person, way beyond the typical attorney/client relationship. Lori's counsel prevented me from making a decision on the timing of my family that could have jeopardized my case.

Lori was very professional and helpful, never intimidating. I always felt I was in good hands.

Lori did a great job in mediating my case. I felt the charges were reasonable and fully explained to me.

Lori is fantastic. I felt she spent about the right amount of time on my case, and provided me with sound legal representation.

From the first meeting through the last detail, I received personal service. You knew who I was and cared.

Lori was very upfront and open, and the consistent honesty, courtesy and professionalism of each member of the firm impressed us. Considering our unusual circumstances, there were no surprises. You helped us understand the legalities of our situation very well.

As a therapist, let me add my thanks for the fabulous job you did for my client. You showed such understanding and concern for all the emotional, economic and legal factors. Her future is on a much more solid path now.

You worked for and achieved a win-win solution.

Lori showed compassion for my situation and acted quickly when she needed to, always looking out for my best interests.

How can I ever thank you enough for getting my daughter back to me? Such a priceless gift. You’ll never know how much your attentiveness, skill and knowledge of the law gave me security with the outcome. Thank your staff as well. They were always prompt, helpful and professional.

Bravo to you Karen. I am not at all exaggerating when I say to you that you are one of the top 2 mediators, among the many with whom I have dealt in my 42 years of family law work. Thanks for your thoroughness, well preparedness and attention to detail, and, — care.

From the minute I stepped into your lobby, everyone was courteous and professional. I was confident that Lori was dedicated to my case, and I knew I could call her anytime. It was so nice to have her in my corner.

Lori was so professional. She relieved a lot of my stress in managing the divorce process, which I was trying to do on my own. Her fee was fair and appropriate to my case. I'm exceedingly happy with the entire experience.

I felt Lori's real concern and caring for my kids, and depended on her support of me. Everything Lori did for us was excellent.

Karen helped me get through the hurt, chaos and confusion that comes with being blindsided by a divorce. She was 'real' and sympathetic at the same time.

Karen kept my interests at the forefront and didn't push me toward decisions I wasn't ready to make. She respected my choices, even when they didn't agree with her advice.

I feel genuinely honored to have had Karen's passion and intellect on hand to resolve an incredibly complex matter. I appreciate how ingenious her resolution was and the magnitude of the protections it provides for our client and her children.

I love working with attorneys like Karen. She is a fair, patient mediator who helped out client reach a settlement despite some unique circumstances.

Karen, words cannot express how appreciative I am to you for settling the case. You are a family law pro bono superstar.

I can hardly believe that, thanks to you Karen, my divorce was resolved in just two months. I'm feeling an overwhelming sense of relief--and am really in awe of how you work.

Karen and her team are excellent, and the entire firm is full of people who care.

Karen, you gave me so much knowledge and truly had an impact on my life and my children’s lives.

You have been such an incredible influence on me as a strong, independent woman. I learned so much from you and your confidence in me. I appreciate and respect you for all you did to help me find myself and decide where I’m going with my life.

Thanks to you, I’m living a very joyful life. Your expert counsel and skills as an attorney have allowed me to carry on in a way that has been truly wonderful. My son is back in my life and we are even playing hockey together.

We so appreciated your willingness to listen and help us implement the unique desires of our family. We’re moving forward in a kind and respectful way, although we are all facing a blank page we never anticipated. With your leadership, we are able to face the future with dignity and a sense of contentment.

Karen, you are my hero. I’ll never forget everything you’ve done to help me start my brand new life.

Many thanks for your thoughtful, thorough approach during mediation. You turned something my husband and I had been dreading for months into a positive move forward for us both.

It was a real pleasure to work with you, even if the purpose was our separation agreement. We will move ahead and be in touch if anything unexpected arises.

I immediately felt comfortable with Karen. The high level of communication was greatly appreciated given the tight timelines required.

The work you do can really make or break the lives of people who are going through a divorce. I honestly think that if I had worked with someone else, it could have been a disaster.

From the moment I entered, everyone was personable, caring, and professional. For many businesses, that’s hard to do consistently—and you did. I was amazed how fast Karen communicated with me. My husband would have dragged out the divorce forever, but she didn’t let that happen.

Thank you for all your help with my divorce. I really feel you may have been the most objective, level-headed and fair person among everyone involved.

Karen has a knack for helping people relax under pressure. She listens intently and explains the law in simple terms. Her firm has a positive and uplifting environment despite the serious nature of the work they do.

I was very pleased with all of the staff and I felt I was treated with compassion and respect. They handled the tactics of my wife's attorney well and represented me with professionalism.

I'm hoping we are the poster children for the benefits and positive power of successful mediation. Both my husband I feel we had an excellent team guiding us, and the process had immeasurable benefits to the well-being of our children. Our unified 'co-parenting' arrangement contradicts every stereotype they have of divorce, and doesn't give them one 'bad guy' to blame.

I felt a lot better walking out of your office after our mediation session than I did walking in. I appreciate all you did to ensure we came to an agreement today.

Thank you very much for making a new (and good) chapter of my life possible. I appreciate that you did a lot of extra things for me, and understand now why you came with such superb recommendations.

Karen was as much a part of the solution as any counsel I have ever seen in any case. To get as much agreement as we got is a real testament to your ability to remain patient and forward-moving.

That was some pretty breathtaking lawyering. I can't think of too many others who could have negotiated a win/win situation under these circumstances, especially in that short amount of time.

I appreciated Karen's professionalism, knowledge, and friendly approach.

I can't tell you how much my life has improved due to our interaction. Thank you so much for your intensely professional service.

You’re my all-time hero…you don’t know what it means to have someone of your integrity stand up for me after all I’ve been through. Thank you more than I can express.

I came to you for expertise and guidance, and in addition, you made me feel cared about and supported, which made all the difference in getting through the legalities of the divorce process.

I will never forget how you flawlessly seemed to pre-empt opposing counsel’s efforts to divert attention from the critical issues. People remark over and over how lucky I was to have you as my attorney.

Thanks again, Karen, for your support, calming influence, professionalism, humor, and all-around good care. I’m sleeping better and enjoying the newness of spring; life is good.

Thanks to your skill and caring, my daughter finally has a shot at a stable life. Our settlement allows her to maintain a relationship with her mother while having a secure place to call home. Outcomes like this may be commonplace for you, but it will make a lifetime of difference for my daughter.

I wanted you to know how much respect—profound respect, in fact —I have for you as an attorney. You are ethical, hard working, personable, and wise. I have seen you in the role of advocate, mediator, and arbitrator. You have an uncompromising commitment to the law, to equity, and to people in general. You balance your love of your family, your devotion to service to the bar and the community, responsibility to your firm, and a continuing private practice

I loved Karen’s style of engagement and advice, and she worked hard to keep my charges reasonable.

Thank you for fighting hard for me today and explaining how the court will decide the amount of alimony & child support.

My thanks for your wonderful representation and personal kindness. I am better off for having had both.

I recognize all the hard work you are doing and how effective you are in court.

Karen, you are great to work with—a class act.

I can't tell you how grateful I am for your understanding and efforts during my custody case. It's the first time in a long time that I will sleep peacefully, and my daughter is very happy, too.

Karen is a whip-smart attorney who kept my head on straight during my own painful divorce. Her unquestionable expertise and gentle sense of humor kept the process as classy as possible. She manages to negotiate a difficult situation with much grace and compassion.

Thanks to you for all you've done and are doing. My kids are adjusting very well to the divorce, and it's great for me to be part of their lives again. Picking them up directly from school, which you arranged, is a joy.

Karen, I am so happy that you are on my team. I love how you phrase things to get the desired result. When my partner kept raising old issues, you intervened to advocate for the best interests of our son.

Thank you for the most efficient, smart, pleasant and well run mediation I have ever attended. Way more than two thumbs up!

I absolutely love Eileen. She is very kind, patient, and explained everything to me. I never felt rushed or that I was bothering her. Everyone seemed genuinely eager and happy to assist, not stuffy at all. I am a very pleased client!

The process was overwhelming to me, but I felt if I needed more attention, I could always turn to Eileen for help.

Eileen’s compassion and support carried me through this difficult time. How her practice operates is a reflection of each and every employee’s help, no matter what their position—a belief that was confirmed throughout my experience.

Eileen made me comfortable with her, both professionally and personally.

Eileen helped me survive a terrible ordeal. At the beginning of my case, I had no idea what was ahead of me. For all the stress we went through, your fees were more than reasonable.

I was impressed by the firm's experiences lawyers and Eileen's timely responses and knowledgeable advice.

Eileen is always professional and an expert at what she does. I appreciated getting all the documents in a timely way, and I always knew what was going on. Your firm is THE BEST family law practice in the area.

Eileen was so professional and knowledgeable. She took control of the case and was considerate and fair to the other side, which was the way I wanted it from the beginning. I had two law firms handling my case, and yours was light years ahead in terms of professionalism, availability and overall ability.

I can’t thank you enough for your tenacity, diligence, support and guidance. The conditions under which you worked would have tested the most patient person…I’m certain that my case has earned you sainthood status!

My case was complicated, and I felt as if I was in an emotional fog. Eileen helped me sort things out.

Unlike the opposing attorney, you acted fairly toward everyone (which is a good thing), while I know you worked hardest to help me.

I would recommend Eileen and your firm to anyone.

I always felt that I could call or e-mail Eileen at any time, and she always kept me informed. I also really appreciated her sitting beside me when we went to court.

You and Penny made the process easy and comfortable. I felt your sincere efforts in working on my behalf. I will definitely recommend you to others.

Thanks for all your support on my case. The process went very smoothly and the outcome was good. You honestly cared about me and my kids.

Eileen was excellent to work with and handled a difficult, emotional and time-consuming situation very professionally.

Eileen, I appreciate your professional services, encouragement and support. All the best as we go forward.

I could tell by my attorney's attitude and knowledge of the law that I was going to be OK. The settlement had everything I was fighting for—joint custody of our children and fair alimony payments.

I felt very well cared for. Everyone in the office is professional and approachable.

I hope others will benefit from the woman you are and the expertise you possess in the field of law.

Everyone was very caring and sensitive about our case.

I felt I was heard and given good advice.

I always felt I had a very powerful ally going to bat for me. And your evening hours are so convenient for those of us who work during the day.

Karen, thank you again for being so amazing. You are the best! If any of my friends ever need a divorce attorney in the future you will be highly recommended.

Karen, first of all…whoa. I seriously can’t begin to EVER thank you enough. I am at least forever grateful to you. In all seriousness, if it wasn’t for all of the work you and your staff put in, I don’t know where I would be right now, but it certainly wouldn’t be where I am today. As I prepare to start my college classes tomorrow, I can only be reminded as how you have treated me more like family than any of my blood relatives and that is something I will NEVER forget. You’re my hero and my second mom and I feel comfortable knowing that I always have you in my corner. Thanks again and a million more times!”

Karen, you are literally my favorite lawyer in this whole world and have convinced me that lawyers can care and often do care about those in need. thank you for everything you've done for me.

Thank you for your help this past year. As I have said to you, the single most important thing I accomplished all year, and I bought and sold a company, was getting more time with my children. Thank you for the help and support to make that happen. It has made such a difference in my life, improved my relationship with my kids, and made me a better father. Kudos to you!

Jackie Chan is credited for saying, "Sometimes it takes only one act of kindness and caring to change a person's life." The kindness of Lori Buiteweg has repeatedly helped me through the toughest times of my life. Her knowledge and wisdom have given me the opportunity to be a better father. She is indefatigable. NSSS&B is simply spectacular.

Karen, you did an amazing job today. Thank you so much for your hard work and your awesome settlement agreement. Top to bottom, from the comfortable environment and the almonds at the end of the day to the great chocolate when we closed, you kept it going and got the job done. One of the best mediation experiences I’ve had .... thank you!!!

Had a wonderful experience with Lori and associates! Divorce is one of the hardest things to go through, but Lori was there as a friend as well as an amazing and brilliant attorney! I highly recommend

Well it’s official ... I completed my Masters through MSU💚

Thank you for not only being my amazing lawyer but also my wonderful friend. Thank you for believing in me when I’m not sure I really believed in myself 😘

When I received the email from the program chair this morning, a sense of empowerment ran through my body. It seemed as if overnight I became a single working mom fighting to gain a sense of self. It’s because of women like you who empowered me to persevere and keep moving forward through the challenges. Thank you my friend!

"Lori Buiteweg was absolutely fantastic. She is incredible at her job and is well-informed, skilled and dedicated to her clients. More importantly, she is compassionate and deeply cares about her clients."

I engaged Karen Sendlebach after a strong recommendation from a friend who used her services. Going through a divorce is the worst thing you can go through as an adult, other than losing a loved one. One of Karen’s greatest strengths is that she is part lawyer and part therapist. She guided me through the landmines and helped me see the battles worth fighting and which ones were worth giving in on. This saved time and money.

As the process progressed you could see her experience and familiarity with the local judges and mediators and how they will perceive different parts of the case. Most importantly, she kept me on task and reminded me to stay focused on the goals. Without a doubt, I would recommend her services to anyone going through this painful process because her work ethic, intelligence and pragmatic approach is what you need during a challenging time. These traits will help save you money in the long run and help get you through the process and start the healing.

I really appreciate you going above and beyond your job today.

You showed patience, kindness and warmth to a stranger. It really meant a lot to me. It felt like light during my darkest hour.

As a mother of three young toddlers and a business owner, I cannot say enough about Lori’s expertise, honest and blunt guidance, as well as prompt responding! Her staff has performed above my expectations for kindness and promptness. My case was not easy. There were substantial marital assets. Lori was able to tease through it all while making sure that I was abundantly clear on best and worst case scenarios. At every step she sees what I need and what I am entitled to from a legal standpoint.

I cannot say enough about her as a lawyer, a professional woman, a working mom or her entire firm. Everyone at NSSSB has a personal touch that is refreshing when what we are faced with is raw, hard and emotional! The billing process is beyond clear and you never wonder what you’ve paid for.

Thank you for all your help today.
You handled the other attorney extremely well.

"That was a lot of time and effort to dedicate to helping this family.

Thank you soo soo much for working with us and resolving this case!!"

"I second that wholeheartedly. You had what felt like an impossible task and did an amazing job pulling everyone together. I cannot tell you how appreciative we are of your time and wisdom. Have a great holiday."